Note-sheet-controlling brake.



w. A. WATSON.

NOTE SHEET CONTROLLING BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE |915.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

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` -W. A. WATSON.

NOTE S'HEET CONTROLLING BRAKE.

APPLICATmN F1LED1UNE1.1915.

1,280,598. Patented 0111. 1, 1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. WATSON, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

NOTE-SHEET-CONTROLLING BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

Original application led January S, 1915, Serial No. 1,224. Divided and this application led June 7, 1915. Serial N o. 32,547.

To ZZ lwhom t may concern 15e it known that I, WILLIAM A. WATSON, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Note- Sheet-Controlling Brakes, of which the following is a specification, this application beingl a division of my application Serial #1224, filed January 8, 1915.

This invention relates to automatic inusical instruments and especially to the mecha'- nism ttor controlling' the passage of a per- Ytorated note sheet over the tracker bar of n player piano.

In such instruments, during playing, the louer roll is driven and is called the take-up spool. As the convolutions of the note sheet increase, the diameter of this roll increases, the upper roll correspondingly descreasing in diameter. These varying diameters cause a variation in the load, or the power required to do the work of causing the note sheet to travel. Moreover, the air pressure upon the sheet traveling over the tracker bar, due to the suction in the tubes which lead from said bar, causes a constant variation in the friction resistance to the travel of the sheet. That is, this friction is greater when no perfora-tions, or very few, are opposite the tracker holes, than when a larger number are ol'iposite. With a uniform tension or braking action on the upper kor let-off roll, there is a tendency to cause an. irregular travel of the note sheet during the latter part of the piece, especially when the roll is a large one. This is beCause, when the take-up spool has many convolutions or coilsvof the sheet upon it, the decreasing diameter of the let-of or record roll, and the variation of the friction above mentioned, retard or hold back the sheet until the take-up spool has tightened the coils sufficiently to overcome the resistance. These clips or momentary stops are so objectionable that dealers hesitate to furnish `large rolls, especially to beginners.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved brakek for the let-off or record spool, which will automatically lessen its action gradually, or commensurate with the reduction of the diameter of the roll, in order to permit long note sheets to be similar reference characters designate similar parts of features Figure 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation from the right of y Fig. 1, on a larger scale.

Figs. 1, 5 and 6 are detail elevations illustrating the brake elements in different positions of operation.

Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7--7 of Fig. 4.

The end walls 12, 13 of the tracker bar or spool box support the tracker bar 39, the take-up spool 15 and the record spool 16. The latter is, of course, as usual, removable. When in place, and re-winding is being performed, it is driven by its chuck spindle 17. During playing, the transmission gearing is in such a shifted position that the spindle 17 is disconnected from the motor, but the spindle must still rotate with the spool 16 as the music sheet is drawn from it over the tracker bar, onto the take-up spool, owing to the chuck 18 itting the usual slot recess in one end of the spool. Any braking action, therefore, on the spindle 17, is transmitted to the spool 16.

Secured to the spindle 17 is a brake wheel 19 having a smooth periphery. Adjacent to the wheel 19, and mounted loosely on a sleeve of wheel 19, is a disk 20 having a pinion 21 fast therewith. To the disk, at substantially diametrically opposite points 22, 23, are pivotally connected two arms 24, 25, having weighted outer portions 26, 27, and inwardly extending portions 26, 29, near their pivots, shaped to constitute brake shoes to act on wheel 19 to retard unwinding from the record spool.. The parts indicated at 22, 24, 26, 28 constitute a lever of the second order, and the parts indicated at 23, 25, 27, 29 constitute a lever of the first order. The object of this will appear presently.

The disk 20, being loose on the spindle although having some slight frictional connecti on therewith due to its sleeve mounting, would be rotated ofi' balance if there were but one weighted arm or braking lever. Hence, the employment of two, so mounted on the disk as to counterbalance each other.

A stop pin 8O projecting from the` fixed upright 13 into an arc slot 31 formed in the disk 20, cooperates with one end or the other ot said slot to limit the movement of the disk and its brake levers about the: spindle 1T, to the two extremes substantially represented by Figs. 5 and G.

Meshing with the pinion 'l1 is a toothed member illustrated as a gear wheel 3'2 carricd by a rock shaft 33 mounted in the upA rights 1L), 13', said shaft having a linger Bil to bear against the surface of the record roll. As the oscillations of the disk and pinion 21 are through but a portion of one rotation (about one-half), only a few of the teeth of member' 32 are ever utilized and therefore said member is practicallyv or operatively a toothed segment and might be so constructed.

ii'heii the parts. are assembled, the intermeshing of the toothed n'lembers or gearing 21, is such that when the finger 34 is bearing against the record roll inthe position shown in Fig. 2, the disk 'O holds the pivoted armsl or levers so that the weights cause the brake shoes to bear on the wheel 19 with substantially maximum press-ure. During playing, the spindle 17 and wheel 19 are rotated in the direction of the arrow a, F ig. l, which represents about the position of the parts at the beginning of the playing of' a rather large roll. lt is at this time that the maximum braking action is required in order that the paper may be wound so closely on the take-up spool that there will be no slipping of the coils thereon when the latter portion ol the piece is being played. As the roll unwinds, the frictional mounting ol the disk 20 on spindle 17 tends to rotate the disk and the pinion 21 in the same direction` and to rotate the toothed member 32 and rock shaft 33 in a direction to cause the finger ii-l. to bear against the surface of the record roll and to follow the 4radually diminishing diameter thereof. herefor'e, said linger has some braking or retarding action. At the same time the finger acts as a leeler or controller for the brake shoes, As the record roll becomes smaller, the linger or feeler 3l, through shaft 3o and the gearing members, permits the disk and the brake levers to slowly move or adjust themselves toward the position shown in Fig'. 5. As they do' so. that. component of the force of gra yity which causes the brake shoes to press on the wheel 19 gradually7 lessens. The parts described are so proportioned relatively as to render this lessening of the braking action commensurate with the reduction of the diameter ofthe record roll or spool.

Fig. 5 illustrates the position which the brake levers assume when or just before, the last of the piece is being played, at which time it is preferable that the brake shoes shall be out of contact with the wheel 19. Said figure clearly illustrates why gravity causes the shoes to separate from the wheel.

It is, of course, desirable to limit the swing ol the brake levers, especially to prevent the weight 27 from contacting with the wheel 19 when the parts are in the Fig. 5 position. To this end` the disk 20 is provided with a pin which projects through a slot or hole 256 in arm 24, said hole being large enough to permit the arm to swing within the desired limits. The disk has another pin 37 projectin into hole 38 in arm similar to the ho e 36' of arm ill.

It is desirable that all braking action shall cease whenever the note-sheet is being rewonnd onto the record spool. The structure described causes this to be effected auto .matimilly at any point of playing', that is,

to rewind and the spindle 1T begins to rotate in the direction of the arrow L in `Fig. t', the disk Q0 is moved in the same direction, there being snfiicient friction between it and the sleeve hub of wheel 19 to start the movement. since the brake levers counterbalance cach other. Immediately after this start has been effected, the levers reach a position where the shoes bear on wheel 19, the motion ol which then causes the levers to quickly more to the position of Fig. 5, the. shoes then separating from the wheel. The disk moves until arrested by stop pin E() in slot At the saure time` the gearing members 21. 3Q, cause the finger brake or controller 3l to swing far enough back to be completely out of the way of any changing of record spools. When the disk reaches the position of Fig. 6. the weights 26, 27 occupy such positions that the brake shoes will be either slightly separated from the wheel 19 or will touch it so lightly as to have no 'appreciable braking action. As soon as playing begins again. with the same roll or another one. thc first movement of the spindle 1i' in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. il causes the disk and brakesto swing from the position of Fig. 6 back to the position of Fig. l until the finger or controller 34 contacts with the surface of the roll, thus automatically rcturning the brake devices to proper position to effect' the necessary retarding action on the record roll to insure winding of the paper closely upon the take-up spool that later there will be no slips or hesitation in the travel of the paper.

For the best results, it is desirable not onlythat the longitudinal movement of the note sheet over the tracker bar shall be steady and under the -full control of the motor, Vbut also that its lateral position relatively to the suction holes in the tracker bar shall be under control. I Will now proceed to describe my improvements to provide for this last mentioned control, and also my improved vstructure of two-part tracker bar, one part being movable relatively to the other, one having the speaking or note holes which may be shifted for transposing orfregulating, 'the otherhaving the holes which c-ontrol expression and may, therefore, be termed the mechanical controlling holes. y

vThe tracker bar comprises a fixed member 39 and a slidingly `adjustable kmember 40 having holes 41 for the usual purpose, to cooperate with note selecting holes or slots of a note sheet 42.' 4The member 39 is removably secured in fixed position relatively to the spool box by suitable means, such as by screws passing through the walls 12, 1,25 into theends of said member, said ineinbei' having a slot or recess 54 from which A tube 57 (see Fig. 1) communicatesfwith the interior of a pneumatic '59, the fixed side of which is secured by suitable means such as stays 6.0 projectin ,rigidly from wall v12.

tube 61 connects t e interior of the pneumatic 59 with the suction mechanism of the instrument so as to vhave a constant tendency to collapse the pneumatic, the movable wall of which is connected by a light link 62 with an arm 63 of a vertical rock shaft 64 (Figs. 1 and 2), the latter having short arms 65, 66, which overlap the projectin ends of the spindles of the record and take-up spools. These spools are normally held toward the right by springs 67 in their lefthand bearings, but during playing, the collapsed or partially collapsed pneumatic 59 exerts a. pull on link 62 so that the short arms of the rock shaft hold the spools shifted somewhat to the left, against the action of springs 67. If now the note sheet tends to travel out of proper position so that its left-hand edge acts on guide finger 55 to admit air through tube 57 and result in the expansion of the pneumatic the springs 67 can shift the spools sufficiently to the right to restore the correctness of tracking.

As described more fully in my application 1224 of which this application is a division, the holes 41 of the member 40 of the tracker bar are connected by air tubes with valve mechanisms for controlling the hammers of the piano action, and by adjusting said member in the direction of its length, the holes 41 may be so shifted relatively to the apertures in the note sheet as toeffect transposition.

1t is to be understood that during rewinding, whichy is'rapid, the note sheet leaves the linger 55 and is not Worn or curled by contact therewith. This is because the pneumatic 59 is not collapsed during re-Winding and consequently the spools are shifted by their bearing springs 67 sufficiently to remove the edge of the sheet from the finger, the latter remaining in its fixed location." As the power for collapsing the pneumatic 59 is derived from the pneumatic chest or stack, no especially designed devices for cutting off the suction from the pneumatic 59 during re-winding are necessary; Such cutting offl of the suction may be effected by the usual cutting out devices 'of the wind chest when re-winding. Therefore, it unnecessary to illustrate or dcscribe such devices herein.

Having now described my invention what I claim is:

rf1.' In mechanism forsupporting and actuating the note-sheet of an automatic musical instrument, a brake wheel rotatable With the record spool, a brake, means for supporting the brake to permit it to bear with more or less pressure on said wheel, means for shifting said' brake in the plane of-rotation of the wheel, and meansy whereby the force of gravity will variably affect the braking action of the brake according to the position' to which it is shifted in said plane.

2.111 mechanism for'supporting and actuating the note-sheet of an automatic musical instrument, a brake wheel rotatable with the record spool, a brake, means for supporting the brake to permit it to bear with more or less pressure on. said Wheel, means for shifting said brake in the plane of rotation of the wheel, whereby the force of gravity will variably affect the braking action of the brake according to the position to which it is shifted in said plane, and means controlled by the diameter of the record spool. for fixing the position of said brake.

3. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a record spool spindle having a brake wheel, of a brake for the periphery of said Wheel, means for supporting the brake to permit it to swing in the plane of rotation of the Wheel, a feeler bearing against the record spool, and connections between the feeler and the brake whereby the position of the brake in said plane is positively varied according to the variation of the position of said ,feelelx 4. In mechanism of the character described the combination with a record spool and its spindle, the latter having a brake wheel, of a gravity friction brake for said Wheel cooperating with the periphery of said wheel, means for supporting the brake to permit it to swing in the plane of rotation of the wheel, and means for varying the braking action of the brake to cause it to diminish as the diameter of the record spool decreases.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a record spool spindle having a brake wheel, of a carrier rotatably mounted on said spindle, a brake connected with the carrier, means controlled by the diameter of the record spool for 0S- cillating thc carrier, and means whereby the force ot' gravity will variably affect' the braking action of the brake according to the position of said carrier.

6. In mechanism of S116 character described, the combination with a record spool spindle having a brake wheel, of a carrier rotatably mounted on said spindle, a pair of counterbalancingr gravity brake levers connected with the carrier, means controlled by the diameter of the record spool for o'scillating the carrier and inea-ns whereby the force of gravity will variably affect the braking action of the brake according to the position of said carrier.

In mechanism for supporting and actuating the note sheet of an automatic musical instrument, a brake Wheel'rotateble with the record spool, a brake,` means for supporting the brake to permit it to bear with more or less pressure on said wheel, means for shifting said brake in the plane of rota tion of the Wheel, whereby the force of gravity Vwill variably affect the braking action of the brake according to the position to which it is shifted in said plane, and means controlled by the )osition of the brake for rendering the bralie ineffective during re Winding of the note sheet.

8. In mechanism for supporting and RC- tuating the. note sheet of an automatic musical instrument, a gravity brake acting on the record spool spindle. a feeler bearing against the record spool, and connections between the feeler and brake to vary the braking action of the brake according to the position of the feeler, said connectlons including means to remove the feeler from the s ool during re-winding.

9, mechanism for supporting and actuating the note sheet of an automatic musical instrument, a brake wheel rotatable with the. record spool, a brake, means for supporting the brake to permit it to bear with more or less pressure on said wheel means for shifting said brake in the plane of rotation of the wheel, whereb the force of gravity will variably affect t e braking action of the brake according to the position to which it is shifted in said plane, and means controlled by the position of the brake for automatically rendering the brake ineffective during re-winding and returning it to operation when playing is resumed.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature.

WILLIAM A. WATSON.

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